Ginger Carrot Cake

Add a zing to a classic dessert with this Ginger Carrot Cake recipe. This cake includes crystallized ginger for extra ginger flavor – it’s delicious!

This post may contain paid links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

We’ve been on a crystallized ginger kick around our house lately. I know that’s an odd thing to get going about, but it’s true. My wife loves ginger anything, and our son loves any and all gummy candy. Crystallized ginger hits those cravings.

I was flipping through an old church cookbook the other day – you know, the kind of small-town cookbook that churches print as a fundraiser. Some of the recipes were rather suspect – many of them involved excessive amounts of gelatin and Bundt pans. However, I did stumble across a Ginger Carrot Cake recipe. I was intrigued.

That recipe used a whole bunch of grated fresh ginger. I’m sure it was delicious, but I immediately thought about the container of crystallized ginger that’s been hanging out in our kitchen lately. What if I chopped up a bunch of that crystallized ginger and mixed it into carrot cake batter? I was inspired – this needed to happen!

What is Crystallized Ginger?

Crystallized ginger, also called candied ginger or stem ginger, is simply fresh ginger root that has been boiled until soft and then tossed in sugar. It’s often eaten as a candy, but it can also lend a spicy sweetness to baked goods. This is not hot spicy like you get with cayenne pepper, but rather sweet spicy like you get with a really good ginger ale. (Speaking of ginger ale, my buddy Jeff posted a recipe for Homemade Ginger Ale. I can’t wait to try this!)

Crystalized ginger is not too hard to find – I found it in the bulk candy aisle at Fresh Market here in Asheville. Of course, Amazon also carries crystallized ginger.

Ginger Carrot Cake

This Ginger Carrot Cake recipe not only uses ⅓ cup of diced crystallized ginger, but it also calls for ground ginger as well. Ginger pairs well with the cinnamon and nutmeg flavors that are traditionally found in carrot cake.

When baked into the cake, the pieces of crystallized ginger end up being little chewy bits of deliciousness. They’re pretty similar in texture to raisins – another ingredient that I always include in carrot cake.

The extra ginger flavor in this Ginger Carrot Cake is noticeable, but it’s not an in-your-face ginger taste. Rather, it’s the kind of ginger flavor that lingers afterwards and makes you think, “Wow – that was delicious!” The addition of two forms of ginger in this recipe is definitely a fun twist.

Aside from the addition of ginger, this recipe is essentially a classic carrot cake. It uses a good bit of cinnamon and nutmeg along with raisins and walnuts. And of course there’s a cream cheese frosting – carrot cakes just go so well with cream cheese frosting! I’ve seen carrot cakes with pineapple tidbits and even chocolate chips. That’s not my style, but feel free to add those in if you’d like.

How to Store Leftover Carrot Cake

Leftover carrot cake should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. If you know you aren’t going to get to the whole cake, then I recommend freezing it. We actually slice the cake entirely on Day 1 and wrap the slices individually in plastic wrap. Then the wrapped slices get stored in a freezer bag and frozen for up to 4 months.

By wrapping the slices individually, it helps maintain freshness. More importantly, it allows us to pull out just 2 slices if we’re in the mood for dessert on a Friday night! Allow those frozen slices of carrot cake to thaw in the refrigerator for several hours before unwrapping and eating.

If you’re looking for a delicious twist on a classic cake, then grab some crystallized ginger and put this Ginger Carrot Cake on the list. Happy baking!

Did you bake this Ginger Carrot Cake at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!

Ginger Carrot Cake

Add a zing to a classic dessert with this Ginger Carrot Cake recipe. This cake includes crystallized ginger for extra ginger flavor – it's delicious!

5 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 35 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 16 servings

Calories: 589kcal

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

For the Carrot Cake

• 1 cup vegetable oil or canola oil
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1½ tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 large eggs
• 2¼ cups carrots peeled and shredded (~4 medium carrots)
• 2¼ cups walnuts chopped, divided
• ⅔ cup raisins

For the Frosting

• 16 oz. cream cheese room temperature
• 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3-3½ cups confectioner’s sugar
• {optional} orange and green food coloring gel for decorating

Instructions

For the Carrot Cake

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Using a stand mixer, blend together the vegetable oil and sugar until well combined.
• Using a separate large bowl, add the flour, crystallized ginger, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; stir until well combined.
• Add ½ of flour mixture to the bowl with sugar and oil; mix until well combined.
• Add 2 of the eggs; mix until well combined.
• Repeat process using remaining dry ingredients and remaining eggs.
• Add shredded carrots, ¾ cup chopped walnuts, and raisins; mix until well combined.
• Divide batter evenly into (2) greased 9"x2” round cake pans. (Tip: Line bottom of the pans with parchment paper to make it easier to get cakes out once baked.)
• Bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center of the cakes comes out clean.
• Let cakes cool in pan for 15 minutes. Turn cakes out onto a wire rack until completely cool.

For the Frosting

• Using a countertop mixer, cream together the cream cheese and butter until well combined (~2-3 minutes on medium speed).
• Add vanilla extract and powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until frosting reaches desired sweetness.
• Beat frosting on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes, or until light and fluffy.

Assembling the Cake

• Toast the remaining chopped walnuts (1½ cups) in a dry skillet over medium heat 4-5 minutes. (Watch carefully as they will burn quickly!)
• Once cake layers have cooled, place one layer in the center of a large plate.
• Spread ~⅔ cup of frosting evenly on top.
• Place 2nd layer of carrot cake on top. Frost the top and sides of the cake using the remaining frosting. (Note: Reserve about ½ cup of frosting for the carrots.)
• Using a cupped hand, carefully push the toasted walnuts into the sides of the cake.
• Divide the reserved frosting into two bowls and color the frosting orange and green.
• Using a pastry bag, pipe the carrots around the top of the cake. (I used a #8 tip to pipe the orange carrots and a #352 tip to pipe the green leaves.)
• Refrigerate cake until ready to serve.

Looking for more carrot cake dessert recipes? Check out these other favorites, too: